Police: 2-car accident, downpour led to 41-vehicle pileup on interstate in Va. that injured 10

Police said dangerous conditions spawned the 41-vehicle wreck that injured at least 10 people. The cause of the pileup remains under investigation.

LEXINGTON, Va. — Police say a two-car accident on Interstate 81 in central Virginia combined with blinding rain and speed as factors in a weekend pileup of 41 vehicles that injured 10 people.

State Police Sgt. A.D. Nicely said some tractor-trailers from Sunday’s pileup near Lexington remained overturned by the roadside toay and crews would attempt to remove them safely once traffic eased up later in the day.

Nicely said witnesses and victims told police that a two-car accident and a torrential downpour preceded the pileup, which shut all southbound lanes for six hours.

Six tractor-trailer rigs were involved along with other vehicles. Traffic backed up for miles before the interstate fully reopened shortly before midnight. Nicely says two of the 10 injured people were airlifted to hospitals but no injuries were life-threatening.